Captain Favorite's Weekend Fishing Forecast: June 19, 2014

BRADENTON –  June 21 marks the first official day of summer, but all the signs of summer are already here. The Gulf temperature is on the rise and fishing has never been better. A weak disturbance aloft will bring increasing chances for showers and thunderstorms both today and Friday. A more typical summer thunderstorm pattern will return to the area over the weekend.

Sea cucumber management changes take effect June 11

• A commercial daily trip and vessel limit of 200 sea cucumbers will go into effect June 11 in state and federal waters off Florida.

This change was approved by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) at its April meeting near Tallahassee.

New Report Florida Lionfish app unveiled; first 250 users receive free T-shirt 

• See a lionfish in the wild? Report it using the new Report Florida Lionfish app. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) unveiled the new smart device app today (May 28) during a live Twitter chat. The first 250 people who successfully complete the Report Florida Lionfish app reporting form will receive a free, interactive and newly redesigned “Lionfish Control Team” T-shirt. The logo on these shirts is designed to come to life. Learn more about the new app, T-shirt and interactive logo by watching a video online.

Amberjack, gray triggerfish close June 1 in Gulf state waters

• The recreational harvest of greater amberjack and gray triggerfish in Gulf of Mexico state waters (shore to 9 nautical miles) closes June 1 and will remain closed through July 31, reopening Aug. 1.
• In federal Gulf waters, greater amberjack will also be closed June 1 through July 31. Gray triggerfish closed in Gulf federal waters May 1 and will remain closed through Dec. 31.

FWC releases 2013 boating accident statistics, stresses safe boating

• Sixty-two people lost their lives in Florida last year in boating accidents, and there have already been 11 deaths so far this year, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), which has released its 2013 Boating Accident Statistical Report

Fishing Forecast

High pressure in the western Atlantic ridges west over northern Florida bringing a light northeast through southeast wind across the coastal waters through Friday. This will allow for the sea breeze to set up along the West Coast resulting in a weak onshore flow each afternoon. Thunderstorms moving westward over the inland areas will converge with the sea breeze boundary triggering more storms along the coastline and coastal waters. These conditions will continue until late Friday when another high pressure center moves into the Gulf of Mexico, causing the winds to shift to a predominant west through northwest direction through the weekend. The only hazards will be local gusty winds and higher seas in the vicinity of scattered thunderstorms ... otherwise no headlines are expected.

Thursday

East winds around 10 knots then becoming west around 5 knots in the afternoon. Bay and inland waters a light chop. Scattered thunderstorms in the afternoon. Thursday night will bring east winds around 5 knots. Bay and inland waters smooth. Isolated thunderstorms in the evening.

2014/06/19 Thu 01:00 AM 0.26 L

2014/06/19 Thu 07:19 AM 1.78 H

2014/06/19 Thu 01:38 PM 0.92 L

2014/06/19 Thu 06:49 PM 1.67 H

Friday

Northeast winds around 5 knots then becoming north in the afternoon. Bay and inland waters smooth. Isolated thunderstorms in the morning ... then scattered thunderstorms in the afternoon. Friday night will bring north winds around 5 knots then becoming northwest after midnight. Bay and inland waters smooth. Scattered thunderstorms in the evening ... then isolated thunderstorms after midnight.

2014/06/20 Fri 01:46 AM 0.51 L

2014/06/20 Fri 08:02 AM 1.95 H

2014/06/20 Fri 03:11 PM 0.69 L

2014/06/20 Fri 08:34 PM 1.46 H

Saturday

West winds around 5 knots. Bay and inland waters smooth. Scattered thunderstorms. Saturday night will bring west winds around 10 knots. Bay and inland waters a light chop. Isolated thunderstorms.

2014/06/21 Sat 02:30 AM 0.73 L

2014/06/21 Sat 08:45 AM 2.11 H

2014/06/21 Sat 04:29 PM 0.43 L

2014/06/21 Sat 10:16 PM 1.36 H

Sunday

Southwest winds around 10 knots. Bay and inland waters a light chop. Scattered thunderstorms. Sunday night will bring southwest winds around 10 knots. Bay and inland waters a light chop. Isolated thunderstorms.

2014/06/22 Sun 03:14 AM 0.91 L

2014/06/22 Sun 09:28 AM 2.26 H

2014/06/22 Sun 05:32 PM 0.2 L

2014/06/22Sun11:43 PM1.35H